Written Answers Monday 28 February 2005

Scottish Executive

Access for Disabled People

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all facilities supported or run by it meet the requirements of the new disabled access legislation and, if not, when the necessary work will be carried out and how much it will cost.

Malcolm Chisholm: We take our responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) as an employer and service provider very seriously. Since October 2004, the DDA requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments to the physical feature of their premises if it would otherwise be unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use their services. Reasonable adjustments depend on the circumstances and needs of the individual disabled person.

  The Scottish Executive has been investing in accessibility improvements in its core buildings since 1995. £400,000 has been committed in 2004-05 to essential projects to improve access and provide auxiliary aids for disabled people across the Executive’s core estate. Further improvements in these areas are planned for 2005-06.

  As a service provider, employer, and Jobcentre Plus Disability Symbol User, the Executive has, and will, continue to make all necessary reasonable adjustments for disabled people and individual members of staff, in line with its obligations under the act.

Agriculture

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the physical health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers.

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the mental health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers.

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the mental health effects of organophosphate sheep dip in farm workers’ families.

Lewis Macdonald: The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is the UK competent authority for the regulation of medicinal products, including sheep dips. The UK Government has recently provided £1.4 million for research into organophosphate sheep dip. The full findings from this programme of research are expected in 2007. The Scottish Executive has not funded any separate research in this area.

Audiology

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional money has been given to NHS Lanarkshire to improve audiology services.

Rhona Brankin: NHS Lanarkshire have been allocated a total of £730,050 over financial years 2003-04 and 2004-05 to improve audiology services.

Bridges

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the tolling order for the Erskine Bridge will expire and by what process it envisages that the Parliament will consider the order.

Nicol Stephen: The current tolling order for Erskine Bridge will expire on 1 July 2006. Any proposal to extend the tolling period, under powers in section 4(3) of the Erskine Bridge Tolls Act 1968, would be effected by Statutory Instrument, subject to affirmative resolution in the Parliament.

Bridges

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the final report of the Tolled Bridges Review will be published.

Nicol Stephen: The final report of the Tolled Bridges Review will be published following its consideration by ministers in late summer 2005.

Care of Elderly People

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given in relation to the prescribing of incontinence pads for elderly people living in their own homes who have a clinical need for them.

Mr Andy Kerr: Elderly people living in their own homes with an incontinence problem have direct access to support and advice through their GP who will arrange for a nurse to undertake a comprehensive clinical assessment.

  NHS boards have also developed clinical guidelines to support their staff to deliver the effective care to patients with urinary incontinence. The guidelines are based on the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Best Practice Statement for Urinary Dysfunction and SIGN Guideline 79 – The Management of Urinary Incontinence in Primary Care. These guidelines focus on effective continence promotion and supportive incontinence management.

Care of Elderly People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any reason for a delay in the release of land at the Vale of Leven Hospital by NHS Argyll and Clyde for a care of the elderly facility.

Mr Andy Kerr: Land at the Vale of Leven Hospital has been identified as appropriate for development not only for a 60 bed care of the elderly facility but also as the site of a new Primary Care Resource Centre. While NHS Argyll and Clyde are agreeable in principle to the sale of both sites there are aspects of the financial treatment of the sale proceeds of the resource centre site which are causing concern and which in turn impact upon and could delay the sale of the care of the elderly facility.

  There is no intentional delay in the process. NHS Argyll and Clyde are currently reviewing the disposal route for the care of the elderly facility to ensure that the viability of this project is not prejudiced by valuation considerations and the financial treatment of the capital receipt. All parties to the transaction are currently engaged in discussions to determine the most appropriate means of disposing of the sites without prejudicing either of the projects. The care of the elderly site project is at a very early stage of development and although no formal public consultation has been undertaken the local community Care and Carers Forum have been kept fully involved in the proposal.

  Officials from my department have recently been in touch with officials from Argyll and Clyde and they will continue to assist all parties to ensure that no undue delay is incurred.

Care of Elderly People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are given to each (a) local authority and (b) NHS board for care of the elderly.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are given to each (a) local authority and (b) NHS board for care home provision for the elderly.

Mr Andy Kerr: Local authority Grant Aided Expenditure, including for community care for older people, is published on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/gaestats .

  Grant Aided Expenditure is funded by a combination of centrally provided government funding through Aggregate External Finance and funding raised by local authorities through locally raised council tax revenue. Local authorities are free to spend above or below the Grant Aided Expenditure level, according to their own priorities. The money that local authorities receive through Aggregate External Finance is, in the main, provided by way of a block grant and is not allocated to specific services.

  Grant Aided Expenditure is allocated to individual local authorities on the basis of a needs-based distribution formula agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

  General funding allocations to NHS boards of £6.01 billion for 2005-06 were detailed in written answer S2W-14069 on 4 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise these funds to meet the health care needs of their resident populations, including services for older people, taking account of national and local priorities.

  £29.5 million was allocated to NHS boards in 2004-05 for local authority/NHS Partnerships specifically to tackle the problems of delayed discharges in Scotland. These funds were distributed as follows:

  

NHS Board
£000


Argyll and Clyde
2,553


Ayrshire and Arran
2,292


Borders
665


Dumfries and Galloway
957


Fife
1,982


Forth Valley
1,559


Grampian
2,679


Greater Glasgow
5,455


Highland
1,367


Lanarkshire
3,152


Lothian
3,986


Orkney
124


Shetland
134


Tayside
2,361


Western Isles
234


Total
29,500



  Similar delayed discharge allocations for 2005-06 have yet to be announced.

Care of Elderly People

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what auditing takes place of the prescribing of tranquilisers to elderly people in residential and nursing homes.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 removed the statutory distinction between residential care homes and nursing homes and all such services are now registered as care homes.

  The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission) in regulating services against the legislative requirements and the relevant national care standards requires providers of care homes to keep accurate up-to-date records of all medicines for the use of service users. These records are kept on the premises from which the care service is provided.

  In all cases, the decision whether or not to prescribe a drug for a patient is always a matter for the clinician concerned, informed by advice and evidence about the drug.

Carers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been given to (a) Argyll and Bute Council and (b) West Dunbartonshire Council to support carers in each year since 1999 to date.

Rhona Brankin: Under the Executive’s Carers Strategy £10 million a year was made available across Scotland from April 2000 onwards, specifically to expand local services supporting unpaid carers. This investment was further enhanced in April 2001 when authorities were given additional resources for respite care, a key service for carers and the people they care for. This provided an additional £5 million in 2001-02, £6 million in 2002-03 and £11 million in 2003-04. These resources are being maintained in real terms over the period 2004-08, thereby securing this unprecedented growth in service provision for carers.

  The resources are distributed to local authorities as part of the normal Grant Aided Expenditure distribution arrangements. The table adds together the resources made available through these arrangements to Argyll and Bute Council and West Dunbartonshire Council under the Strategy and to deliver additional respite. They are only a small component of the total resources that authorities have access to for the provision of social care; authorities’ expenditure over a wide range of services is also helping to benefit carers.

  

Local Authority
2000-01
(£000)
2001-02
(£000)
2002-03
(£000)
2003-04
(£000)
2004-05
(£000)


Argyll and Bute
204
307
324
425
430


West Dunbartonshire
183
278
296
392
423

Civil Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with MI5 about the siting of a permanent office in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: In line with established practice, it would not be appropriate to comment on operational matters relating to the Security and Intelligence Service.

Civil Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times Scottish ministers and officials met officials from the security service in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004.

Cathy Jamieson: The Security Service meets regularly with the Scottish Executive in carrying out its function of providing advice on national security matters.

Civil Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it has sought from MI5 about the safety of local people should the proposed siting of a permanent MI5 office in Scotland proceed.

Cathy Jamieson: In line with established practice, it would not be appropriate to comment on operational matters relating to the Security and Intelligence Service. The work of the service is directed towards increasing the safety of people throughout the UK.

Civil Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many telephone interception applications were made to it and, of these, how many were authorised in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004, broken down by source of application.

Cathy Jamieson: The power to authorise interception for the purpose of preventing or detecting serious crime was devolved to the Scottish ministers on 13 December 2000.

  Details of the number of interception warrants authorised by the Scottish ministers since then are contained in the annual reports of the Interception of Communication Commissioner, which are laid before the Scottish and UK Parliaments. The most recent annual report, for 2003, was laid before this Parliament on 22 July 2004 and copies were placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33330).

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the availability and uptake of direct payments across Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive is committed to developing direct payments as a way of giving service users choice and control over the care services they receive. From April 2005, direct payments will be available to the first non-disabled client group, those people aged 65 and over who are assessed as needing care services. It is also anticipated that concentrated effort will be made to increase uptake among current eligible groups such as disabled children, mental health service and learning disabled users from April 2005 onwards.

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance and resources are given to local authorities in respect of the provision of direct payments.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive Direct Payments Policy and Practice Guidance document published in June 2003 gives advice on the provision of direct payments. It is anticipated that this will be updated and re-issued by summer 2005.

  No additional funds have been made available to local authorities for the period up until 2006 as direct payments are made in lieu of services which a local authority would normally provide itself. From 2006-7, £1.8 million, and for 2007 onwards £2 million will be made available to local authorities to increase uptake through targeted support such as additional training.

  Details of the local government finance settlement to 2007-08 are available from the following link, where the additional provision has gone into the GAE line in tables 2 and 3 for Services for People with disabilities http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/publications/bulletin/hd150.pdf.

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it involves service users in the development of guidance on direct payments.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging user-led support organisations to participate at a local and national level in the development and delivery of direct payments.

Rhona Brankin: A short life Working Group on direct payments for older people was set up in May 2004 to consider and overcome barriers to take up and to assist with updating the Direct Payments Guidance. The group membership is wide ranging including representatives of service users, local support organisations and local authorities.

  The draft guidance will shortly go out for public consultation for implementation in July 2005. It will highlight best practice to further develop local user-led support organisations. From 2006 onwards, additional Government Allocated Expenditure (GAE) will be targeted at promoting local user-led support organisations.

  Beyond March 2005, further subgroups will be set up to focus on the needs of particular care groups such as those with mental health problems. User representatives will be invited on all subsequent groups of this type.

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will involve service users in the development of performance indicators for direct payments.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive is in the process of ensuring that direct payments take up is evaluated through the Joint Performance Information and Assessment Framework. When further direct payments subgroups are set up, service users will be involved in reviewing how this system of monitoring is being implemented in practice.

Community Care

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to develop a network of independent living centres across Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: Local independent living support is funded by local authorities and there are no plans to develop a national network.

Concessionary Travel

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation is being undertaken in respect of a national bus pass for elderly and disabled people and who is responsible for conducting such a consultation.

Nicol Stephen: On 21 February my officials met representatives from local government and the bus industry as they will have a key role in making sure that the transition from the current local schemes to the national scheme is achieved smoothly and to time. The organisations which attended the meeting will have a continuing role and we will also involve other interested groups as the process develops. Bodies which represent older and disabled people, such as the Scottish Older Peoples Consultative Forum and the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS), will be included.

Disaster Relief

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the British Geological Survey on how the Executive can assist the survey’s response to the tsunami.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is liaising closely with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on assessing the risk of the UK being affected by a tsunami or similar event. DEFRA has recently commissioned British Geological Survey (BGS) and others to undertake a collaborative short-term study of the possibility of extreme events in the North Atlantic and North Sea, of a similar type to those recently experienced in the Indian Ocean. The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will extend assistance as appropriate to BGS and its partners.

Emergency Planning

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any current and specific terrorist threat to Scotland and, if so, what civil contingency preparations are in place to deal with this.

Hugh Henry: National security including counter-terrorism is a reserved matter. As is shown on the Security Service’s website all the indications are that although there are no specific threats to Scotland, there is a serious and sustained threat to the UK from terrorist activities. As part of their responsibilities for civil contingencies, Scottish ministers continue to consider and develop national policies to ensure local responders are prepared for major emergencies. These include:

  - A Ministerial Group on Civil Contingencies which keeps under review the Executive’s policy for managing the consequences of major terrorist or other disruptive incidents.

  - The Scottish Emergencies Co-ordinating Committee, chaired by the Executive includes chief officer representatives of all the main responder organisations. It monitors and provides strategic direction for emergency planning in Scotland.

  - The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 gives Scottish ministers powers to make Regulations that provide a statutory framework setting out clear roles and responsibilities for front line local responders. Consultation on draft regulations under this act and a supporting package of guidance closes on 25 April 2005.

  - Appointment of a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear co-ordinator to review strategic requirements in Scotland and co-ordinate work at a UK level. In the answer to question S2W-13773, on 26 January 2005, I announced our intention to set up a Government Decontamination Service. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Emergency Planning

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many briefings MI5 conducted for Scottish local authorities in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (f) 2004 as part of civil contingency preparations.

Hugh Henry: National security including counter-terrorism is a reserved matter. In line with normal practice, it would not be appropriate to comment on the frequency of briefings. Threat advice is available to local authorities through the Security Service’s website. The service provides appropriate advice to Scottish ministers as part of their responsibilities for emergency planning. This advice informs the guidance issued to local authorities and other relevant organisations on civil contingencies preparations.

Employment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Local Government and Transport Committee on 19 January 2005, what the reason is for the discrepancy between the number of Network Rail employees provided by Network Rail and the number of employees provided by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union; whether the figures can be reconciled and, if so, how that reconciliation can be achieved.

Nicol Stephen: Information regarding the number of Network Rail employees is a matter for Network Rail.

First Minister

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13048 by Mr Tom McCabe on 24 January 2005, what costs have been incurred by the First Minister in respect of hospitality in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: We have centrally held information in relation to hospitality costs incurred by the First Minister from the financial year 2000-01. This is set out in the table. These figures provide the substantive answer to the member’s question S2W- 13048, which I indicated that I would provide in writing.

  

Financial Year
£000


2000-01
29


2001-02
35


2002-03
42


2003-04
67


2004 - Jan 2005
60

Football

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received on whether seizure of mobile phone batteries by Tayside Police at the recent Arbroath FC versus Aberdeen FC football match was lawful under section 51 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has neither sought nor received advice on whether the action described was lawful. Policing of football matches is the operational responsibility of chief constables.

Football

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it endorses the seizure of mobile phone batteries by police as a reasonable measure to maintain public order at football matches.

Cathy Jamieson: Policing of football matches is the operational responsibility of chief constables.

Football

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often mobile phone batteries have been seized by police in connection with football matches, broken down by police force.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Football

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it and Tayside Police have received regarding the conduct of police officers involved in the seizure of mobile phone batteries at the recent Arbroath FC versus Aberdeen FC football match.

Cathy Jamieson: I am not aware of having received any representations in relation to the Arbroath FC versus Aberdeen FC football match of 8 January 2005. I understand that Tayside Police have received two letters on this matter.

Fuel Duty

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13350 by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005, what study it, its agencies or non-departmental public bodies have carried out regarding the impact of levels of fuel duty on the economy.

Nicol Stephen: No study has been carried out. Fuel duty is a matter reserved to the UK Government. However, Scottish ministers will continue to ensure that Scotland’s’ interests are placed firmly on the agenda in Whitehall on tax, as on other matters, through direct contact with treasury ministers.

G8 Summit

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional financial resources will be made available to Stirling Council to deal with any extra costs associated with the holding of the G8 summit.

Mr Tom McCabe: It is for Stirling Council to decide how to spend the resources it has available to provide services to the public. The Executive has no plans at present to provide any additional financial assistance to the council in respect of the G8 summit. However, the council is free to discuss with the Executive specific ideas for promotional activity related to the G8 summit at any time.

G8 Summit

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any request or is aware of any request being made by the police or any other authority to a government or police authority outwith the United Kingdom for the use of equipment such as water cannons during the hosting of the G8 summit and, if so, what request for what equipment has been made and to whom.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has made no such request, nor has it been made aware of any request by any other organisation in connection with the Summit. Tayside Police, which will have overall responsibility for the policing of the G8 summit, stated in a press release on 11 February 2005 that it had not ordered any water cannons.

Health

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that deaf and deafblind people have access to mental health services.

Rhona Brankin: In January I announced a review of available guidance on the planning and delivery of improved access, services and better communications for people with a mental health problem who also have a sensory loss. The objective is to publish guidance for agencies to inform the best delivery of improved services and support for this important client group.

  We have also commissioned research on Community Care and Mental Health Services for Adults with Sensory Impairment to identify good practice; map services and explore views and experiences of service users. The outcomes are expected in August.

Health

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist health services are available to deaf and deafblind people.

Rhona Brankin: I expect NHS boards to take account of the specialist needs of deaf and deafblind people in planning and providing services. All boards provide or arrange access to services such as sign language and other specialist means of communication and interpretation. Several are currently developing and enhancing their existing services.

  The Scottish Executive is encouraging further service development. On 27 January, I announced the launch of a tutor pack for training health care staff in communications with deaf people. The Sensory Impairment Action Plan has also been in place since January 2004. It addresses improved access to community services and I expect most of its recommendations to be implemented this year.

  We are also taking action on specific aspects of sensory impairment. My answer to S2W-14130, answered on 28 February 2005, sets out what we are doing to improve access to mental health services for deaf and deafblind people. In the wider context, the four-year project to modernise audiology services is also now well under way and more general initiatives such as the Fair for All disability initiative will continue to highlight the needs of people with sensory impairment.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses were built in the social rented sector in each local authority area in each year since 1979.

Malcolm Chisholm: The tables show new build completions in the public sector from 1979 to 2003. Table 1 shows Scotland totals from 1979 to 2003 and table 2 contains a breakdown by local authority for 1996 to 2003. Reliable information at local authority level is not available for years earlier than 1996.

  Table 1 – Social Rented Sector, New Build Completions:

  1979 to 2003

  

Year
Dwellings


1979
8,607


1980
8,369


1981
8,990


1982
4,900


1983
4,763


1984
4,723


1985
3,976


1986
3,767


1987
3,803


1988
4,093


1989
3,903


1990
3,901


1991
3,996


1992
3,231


1993
3,510


1994
3,450


1995
6,015


1996
2,858


1997
4,684


1998
2,050


1999
4,992


2000
4,989


2001
5,574


2002
5,171


2003
3,992



  Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics.

  Data includes local authorities and Housing associations.

  Data prior to 1991 includes other government departments.

  Data prior to 1993 includes Scottish Homes.

  Data prior to 1996 includes New Towns.

  Table 2 - Social Rented Sector New Build Completions by Local Authority:

  1996 To 2003

  

Local Authority Area
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
2,858
4,684
2,050
4,992
4,989
5,574
5,171
3,992


Aberdeen City
157
327
21
115
98
203
79
169


Aberdeenshire
152
291
43
226
116
176
199
211


Angus
110
179
159
119
110
67
167
43


Argyll and Bute
18
91
199
112
121
105
4
59


Clackmannanshire
32
0
18
39
59
0
72
28


Dumfries and Galloway
34
202
14
179
69
197
77
96


Dundee City
185
305
70
242
231
106
302
72


East Ayrshire
22
29
60
32
20
147
4
98


East Dunbartonshire
10
0
22
15
24
55
10
4


East Lothian
16
22
19
61
79
9
18
14


East Renfrewshire
52
17
0
84
126
41
0
30


Edinburgh
104
351
132
576
521
545
511
156


Eilean Siar
7
0
8
1
11
14
22
13


Falkirk
7
62
28
73
14
97
68
34


Fife
171
365
119
410
176
186
335
194


Glasgow
461
785
358
839
1,248
1,841
1,262
1,496


Highland
206
219
70
138
221
125
158
147


Inverclyde
112
0
136
93
248
119
141
101


Midlothian
49
97
48
64
4
52
12
31


Moray
84
101
17
30
30
26
33
2


North Ayrshire
68
28
26
149
67
76
69
83


North Lanarkshire
160
261
80
334
277
296
360
131


Orkney
53
12
0
14
29
52
44
24


Perth and Kinross
98
267
119
182
193
100
215
176


Renfrewshire
228
94
0
92
167
152
155
48


Scottish Borders
8
20
123
83
101
88
85
44


Shetland
0
0
0
56
14
22
14
1


South Ayrshire
95
0
73
68
61
64
131
74


South Lanarkshire
65
206
24
61
274
126
316
103


Stirling
28
56
0
85
83
62
106
84


West Dunbartonshire
30
265
0
213
92
263
182
136


West Lothian
36
32
64
207
105
162
20
90



  Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics.

  Data includes local authorities and housing associations.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many properties have become tenanted under the Rent to Mortgage scheme in each year since the scheme was introduced, broken down by local authority area

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the actions for damages relating to personal injuries in the Court of Session in each of the last three years sought damages totalling (a) £5,000 or less, (b) £5,001 to £10,000, (c) £10,001 to £20,000 and (d) more than £20,000.

Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally. Some information for an earlier period on personal injuries case volume by value is contained within the research report Personal Injury Litigation, Negotiation and Settlement published in 2002. It is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/pil-00.asp.

Justice

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alter the privative jurisdiction of sheriff courts.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports any change to the privative jurisdiction of sheriff courts.

Hugh Henry: The setting of a privative limit filters out the lowest value cases from the Court of Session. We believe that the case is made for an increase in the privative limit. The current limit of £1,500 dates from 1988. We believe that should rise to a more realistic level, reflecting current circumstances. We are continuing to consider all arguments and representations as to what the right level should be.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13367 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 January 2005, what the rate of recorded burglary was per thousand population, broken down by police force area in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03 and (e) 2003-04.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the table.

  Crimes of Housebreaking per 1,000 population, 1999-2000 to 2003-2004

  

Police Force
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


All Scotland
10.4
9.4
9.0
8.0
7.2


Central
8.6
7.6
6.6
6.5
6.4


Dumfries and Galloway
8.0
7.2
6.1
6.2
4.8


Fife
11.3
9.2
9.5
9.3
9.7


Grampian
11.5
13.1
10.6
9.0
8.1


Lothian and Borders
8.8
7.0
7.0
6.6
7.1


Northern
3.0
3.0
2.7
2.8
2.8


Strathclyde
12.1
10.9
10.5
9.1
7.7


Tayside
9.7
8.5
9.8
8.1
5.7

Justice

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to reduce the number of women sent to prison and what resources it will allocate to support women in the community as an alternative to custody.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is funding a range of measures to provide the courts with alternatives to custody for women offenders. Recognising that significant numbers of women are sentenced to custody for fine default, the pilots for the mandatory use of Supervised Attendance Orders (SAOs) withdraw the option of custody from sentencers in the pilot courts for those individuals, who have defaulted on fines up to £500. We will also shortly be funding pilots which use SAOs as a first instance disposal to provide courts with an additional sentencing option for those who do not have the means to pay a fine.

  More generally, the significantly increased funding invested in community disposals over recent years is providing the courts with a broader range of alternatives for female, as well as for male, offenders and a number of these have programmes geared specifically to the needs of women.

  In addition, the 218 Time Out centre in Glasgow is a unique facility, funded by the Executive, to provide an alternative to custody and to support women offenders in the community, with detox and residential services in addition to day programmes. It can also be used with those who might otherwise have been remanded to custody.

Justice

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations and qualitative research have been, and will be, conducted into the standard and quality of life for women who leave prison and what measures it has taken to improve this quality of life.

Cathy Jamieson: The reports, A Safer Way and A Better Way on women offenders, based on the evidence from research, highlighted the need to tackle the root causes which lead women to offend, rather than sentencing them repeatedly to short periods in custody. This work confirmed that the backgrounds of women in custody are marked by experience of abuse, drug misuse, poor education and employability prospects, unsuitable accommodation, poverty, debt and psychological distress. In response the Executive is co-ordinating work with key agencies to improve the standard and quality of life for women on their release. This is consistent with the more integrated approach to the management of offenders set out in the Criminal Justice Plan, published in December.

  As well as providing a range of community sentences as alternatives to the unnecessary use of short custodial sentences, the Executive’s new enhanced throughcare strategy specifically targets vulnerable women serving short sentences for voluntary aftercare, particularly those with addictions problems. Where women serve short sentences, this work seeks to link them back to services in the community, on their release.

  The 218 Time Out Centre for women in Glasgow also offers a throughcare service to ex-prisoners including assistance in dealing with their social, economic and emotional problems.

Leisure

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) sports centres, (b) libraries, (c) community centres and (d) playing fields there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Patricia Ferguson: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Livestock

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to announce its replacement of the Livestock Improvement Scheme.

Lewis Macdonald: A consultation paper on our proposals for the crofters cattle improvement scheme will issue after the end of March 2005. We are on schedule to open the scheme in the autumn to enable crofters to plan for the year ahead.

MMR Vaccine

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage an increased take-up of the combined MMR vaccine.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive, in collaboration with partner organisations including Health Protection Scotland, NHS Education Scotland and NHS Health Scotland has undertaken a number of initiatives to encourage increased uptake of MMR vaccine. These include the development of an MMR Discussion Pack for health professionals and parents, and ensuring that all parents receive an MMR explanatory leaflet with the invitation for immunisation. These resources will be updated in 2005.

  NHS Health Scotland has launched a new immunisation website, http://www.healthscotland.com/immunisation/mmr/index.cfm which includes an MMR Information Centre. Further initiatives are planned and will be announced in due course.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether sufficient medium secure units will be in place to ensure compliance with the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: The position remains as set out in the answer to question S2W-10890, on 8 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether adequate and appropriate provision will be made for mothers with post-natal depression and their children in order to comply with the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: I opened the Glasgow specialist unit and service in October last year which provides perinatal mental health in-patient and support services to mothers living in the west of Scotland. The facility allows mothers to be accompanied by their babies. Other NHS boards and partners are considering local or regional arrangements, progress with which is reviewed regularly as part of the on-going attention to a successful implementation by October 2005.

Modern Apprenticeships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the city of Glasgow have participated in modern apprenticeship schemes in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) gender, (b) race and (c) disability.

Allan Wilson: Details about modern apprentices in a specific geographical area is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS Funding

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what new burdens were placed on NHS Grampian as part of its recent uplift in central funding and what the estimated cost is of these.

Mr Andy Kerr: The recently announced increase in general allocations for NHS boards for 2005-06 takes account of pay and price pressures and increases in the cost of prescribed drugs. NHS Grampian received a general allocation of £547.91 million for 2005-06, an increase of 7% over the equivalent allocation for 2004-05. This level of funding, together with locally generated efficiency savings, will enable the board to continue to meet the health care needs of its resident population, taking account of pay and price pressures, including increases in the cost of prescribed drugs.

NHS Funding

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the latest funding settlement for NHS Grampian was allocated for deprivation levels.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Grampian has received a general allocation of £547.91 million for 2005-06, an increase of 7% over the equivalent allocation for 2004-05. No specific percentage is allocated for deprivation levels. The Arbuthnott formula, which is used to determine the level of funding allocated to each board, takes account of four main indicators. These are each board’s population size, age/sex structure, deprivation levels and remoteness. The formula is used to determine the total level of funds allocated to boards for their unified budgets. It is for each board to decide how best to meet the health care needs of their resident population from the totality of funds it receives, taking account of national and local priorities.

NHS Hospitals

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop district general hospitals in the next three years and what resources will be allocated for such purposes.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer you to the answer to question S2W-12777 on 24 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

NHS Staff

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the number of nurses undergoing training.

Mr Andy Kerr: Proposals regarding intakes for pre-registration nursing and midwifery programmes are being considered presently as part of the Scottish Executive’s procedures for workforce planning.

  The student intake target is arrived at having first considered projections in demand for additional staff over a five year period. Similar projections for supply are also considered. The aim is to ensure a sufficient flow of supply to meet future demand, taking account of the number of students already in the system. At around 9,000 in the system, student numbers are currently at an all time high.

  A decision on the intake figures for 2005-06 has not yet been taken.

NHS Staff

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many trained members of staff of local health councils have been offered employment in (a) complaints departments of NHS boards and (b) the new Scottish Health Council.

Mr Andy Kerr: All local health council staff are eligible to apply for positions within the Scottish Health Council and the recruitment process is in progress. Information on local health council staff offered employment in NHS board complaints departments is not held centrally.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations will provide advice and support for those seeking to complain to their health board once local health councils are disbanded, broken down by NHS board.

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations in Scotland currently have trained staff to provide advice and support for those seeking to complain to an NHS board.

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what formal qualifications are required for giving advice and support to those seeking to complain to an NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Providing support and advice to people that want to complain will continue to be the responsibility of NHS boards. Each board has trained complaints officers who have a role in supporting those who wish to make a complaint. A number of other organisations are also able to provide advice and support for those seeking to complain about the NHS in their area. This includes the Citizens Advice Bureau, local advocacy agencies and patient organisations. These organisations have staff trained to give advice on a number of issues including how to make a complaint against the NHS. No formal qualification is required of these staff to carry this out.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what interim guidance has been sent to NHS boards regarding the provision of advice and support to patients seeking to complain to their NHS board once local health councils are disbanded.

Mr Andy Kerr: Transition planning meetings have been held with all NHS boards and local health councils to address arrangements for the dissolution of health councils including the handling of any on-going complaints.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding will be given to NHS boards to provide independent advice and support in the complaints procedures, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Providing support and advice to people that want to complain about NHS board services has always been the responsibility of NHS boards, and will continue to be. Resources to provide such support will be found from within board core allocations.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the new Scottish Health Council will no longer provide advice and support for those seeking to complain to an NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Health Council will not provide advice and support services, but they will seek to ensure that NHS boards have appropriate and effective arrangements in place. The Scottish Health Council will also ensure that individual patients, carers and members of the public are able to make their views on health services known.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom patients or carers should complain about NHS board services or treatment when local health councils cease to exist.

Mr Andy Kerr: Patients and carers should continue to complain to the NHS board. Those involved in the provision of care are best placed to investigate concerns raised and provide a response.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to take any action following the Department of Health’s guidance on the Carson review of standards for out-of-hours care and access to medicines.

Mr Andy Kerr: In Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has published standards on the provision of safe and effective primary medical services in the out-of-hours period. Providers of out-of-hours primary medical services are required to meet these standards. This requirement is set out in Regulations and Directions.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued regarding out-of-hours access to medication.

Mr Andy Kerr: No such guidance has been issued. Providers of primary medical services in the out-of-hours period are required to comply with standards put in place by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and other statutory requirements in relation to prescribing of medicines.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to produce a Scotland-wide out-of-hours formulary.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no such plans.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or intends to take, to ensure access to appropriate out-of-hours pharmaceutical advice for all health professionals.

Mr Andy Kerr: As with all aspects of the provision of safe and effective primary medical services in the out-of-hours period, it is for NHS boards to determine the provision of services in their area.

National Lottery

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether community and voluntary organisations in Scotland will receive the same level of funding from the Big Lottery Fund as they received from the New Opportunities Fund and Community Fund combined.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: We expect that the level of funding to the community and voluntary sectors in Scotland will be broadly the same from the Big Lottery Fund as from the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund combined.

  We estimate that the community and voluntary sector received around two thirds of the combined total funding under the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund. The Big Lottery Fund has made a commitment that between 60% and 70% of the funding under their programmes between 2006 and 2009 will be delivered via community and voluntary organisations.

National Parks

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park plan will be published.

Lewis Macdonald: The National Park Authority expects to launch its draft National Park Plan for consultation on 16 May 2005. Following consultation, the draft plan will be submitted to Scottish ministers for approval.

People with Disabilities

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given in relation to the prescribing of incontinence pads for disabled people living in their own homes who have a clinical need for them.

Mr Andy Kerr: Disabled people living in their own homes with an incontinence problem have direct access to support and advice through their GP who will arrange for a nurse to undertake a comprehensive clinical assessment.

  NHS boards have developed clinical guidelines to support their staff to deliver the effective care to patients with urinary incontinence. The guidelines are based on the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Best Practice Statement for Urinary Dysfunction and SIGN Guideline 79 - The Management of Urinary Incontinence in Primary Care. These guidelines focus on effective continence promotion and supportive incontinence management.

People with Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support disabled people who wish to live independently.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop a national strategy to support independent living for people with disabilities.

Rhona Brankin: There are a number of strategies in place to assist disabled people to live independent lives, whether for housing, health, transport, employment or lifelong learning.

  Supporting People, which delivers housing support services to people with disabilities and other service users, allocated approximately £138 million in 2003-04 to directly support nearly 6,500 disabled people across Scotland to live independently in their own homes.

  Direct Payments allow disabled people to buy the community care they are assessed as needing. Being self-directed, it gives users choice and control over the services they receive, with £8.3 million in 2003-04 providing care for 912 users including disabled people.

  Free Personal and Nursing Care is available for disabled and non-disabled people aged 65 and over and the Executive committed £250 million from 2002 to 2004 with a further £147 million for 2004-05 and £153 million for 2005-06. There will also be free local off-peak bus travel across Scotland for older and disabled people from April 2006.

  The European Social Fund helps people with disabilities back into the labour market. Measure 2.1 aims to improve social inclusion in target groups such as disabled people by supporting access to training, employment and income earning opportunities and by addressing the key barriers they face.

People with Disabilities

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to the British Red Cross for the provision of disability aids.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive does not specifically provide support to the British Red Cross for the provision of disability equipment. The Scottish Executive provides considerable financial support to the voluntary sector in Scotland through a variety of direct and indirect grant schemes – over £400 million in 2004-05. The British Red Cross can therefore seek funding from one or more of these schemes, providing the activities for which the grant is sought to promote Scottish Executive objectives. Each scheme has its own, specific eligibility criteria and details about them are provided in our guide for the voluntary sector to Scottish Executive grants, which can be found at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/gvsg-00.asp.

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent police officers were employed in (a) 1945, (b) 1955, (c) 1965, (d) 1975 and (e) each year since 1985, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: Information has been collected on a whole time equivalent basis only since 2000. Before that, information was collected on a head count basis only. The available information is therefore shown in the table on a head count basis up to December 1999 and on a whole time equivalent basis from December 2000 onwards. Before 1975, when police forces were reorganised, information was collated on a national basis by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. Data for each pre-1975 force is not held centrally.

  Number of Police Officers in Scotland

  

Force
31 Dec 1945
31 Dec 1955
31 Dec 1965
31 Dec 1975
31 Dec 1985


Central
n/a
n/a
n/a
483
550


Dumfries and Galloway
n/a
n/a
n/a
278
330


Fife
n/a
n/a
n/a
650
670


Grampian
n/a
n/a
n/a
821
970


Lothian and Borders
n/a
n/a
n/a
2,181
2,394


Northern
n/a
n/a
n/a
572
606


Strathclyde
n/a
n/a
n/a
6,478
6,816


Tayside
n/a
n/a
n/a
913
968


Total
5,862
7,729
10,175
12,376
13,304



  

Force
31 Dec 1986
31 Dec 1987
31 Dec 1988
31 Dec 1989
31 Dec 1990


Central
549
571
599
619
641


Dumfries and Galloway
338
348
347
348
357


Fife
725
741
751
754
753


Grampian
995
1,017
1,028
1,084
1,138


Lothian and Borders
2,442
2,414
2,397
2,486
2,463


Northern
610
607
615
625
632


Strathclyde
6,769
6,773
6,768
6,887,
6,804


Tayside
1,000
1,005
1,013
1,011
1,053


Total
13,428
13,476
13,518
13,814
13,841



  

Force
31 Dec 1991
31 Dec 1992
31 Dec 1993
31 Dec 1994
31 Dec 1995


Central
636
649
657
654
659


Dumfries and Galloway
370
387
386
390
392


Fife
775
786
786
789
791


Grampian
1,150
1,194
1,193
1,191
1181


Lothian and Borders
2,522
2,561
2,558
2,556
2536


Northern
633
636
658
643
648


Strathclyde
6,790
6,797
6,823
7,003
7,156


Tayside
1,047
1,084
1,078
1,087
1,116


Total
13,923
14,094
14,139
14,313
14,479



  

Force
31 Dec 1996
31 Dec 1997
31 Dec 1998
31 Dec 1999


Central
666
693
719
710


Dumfries and Galloway
402
441
446
453


Fife
825
852
841
825


Grampian
1,155
1,195
1,226
1,230


Lothian and Borders
2,661
2,699
2,621
2,581


Northern
636
645
667
658


Strathclyde
7,207
7,377
7,186
7,090


Tayside
1,120
1,148
1,148
1,137


Total
14,672
15,050
14,854
14,684



  

Force
31 Dec 2000
31 Dec 2001
31 Dec 2002
31 Dec 2003
31 Dec 2004


Central
717
710
728
756
795


Dumfries and Galloway
463
473
469
486
478


Fife
844
886
914
956
987


Grampian
1,237
1,256
1,248
1,311
1,373


Lothian and Borders
2,640
2,618
2,667
2,717
2,785


Northern
647
672
691
676
705


Strathclyde
7,168
7,226
7,294
7,431
7,615


Tayside
1,147
1,154
1,161
1,150
1,169


Total
14,863
14,995
15,170
15,483
15,908



  Notes:

  1. Sources: Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland Annual Reports in 1945, 1955 and 1965; and Quarterly Strength Return from forces for 1975 onwards.

  2. Head count figures were collected up to December 2002. The head count totals for December 2000, December 2001 and December 2002 are 14,948, 15,093 and 15,287 respectively.

Police

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which police forces operate a specialist anti-terrorist unit.

Cathy Jamieson: Each of the eight police forces in Scotland operates a Special Branch, the primary role of which is the collection and interpretation of intelligence for national security purposes, including counter-terrorism.

Police

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new beat officers have been recruited in the last three years, broken down by police force.

Cathy Jamieson: Decisions on the deployment of officers between community, response and other roles are operational matters for each Chief Constable and as such, this information is not held centrally. The number of police officers recruited over the last three years by force area is shown in the following table.

  

Force
31 March 2002
31 March 2003
31 March 2004


Central
16
49
40


Dumfries and Galloway
23
19
24


Fife
94
61
84


Grampian
56
67
125


Lothian and Borders
157
131
198


Northern
45
30
31


Strathclyde
312
446
415


Tayside
67
47
49


Total
770
850
966



  Source: Annual Statistical Returns from forces to Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary.

Prison Service

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether it is possible for the handcuffs used by Reliance staff to be purchased, complete with keys, on the internet and whether Reliance staff are required to purchase these handcuffs.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  A wide range of security equipment used by the Scottish Prison Service and others is available on the open market including on the internet. The manner in which Reliance staff are equipped to discharge their responsibilities, is entirely a matter for the company.

Prison Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for 24-hour access by prisoners to toilet facilities at HM Prison Cornton Vale.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  All prisoners in Cornton Vale have 24-hour access to toilet facilities. In some places prisoners have their own keys, in others there is a toilet cubicle in each room and in others there is a remote control system with call buttons.

Prison Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the minimum standards are for cell equipment, furnishings and fittings for prisoners at HM Prison Cornton Vale.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prisoners living accommodation, facilities and equipment at Cornton Vale meets SPS standards for space, lighting and heating. All rooms have electric power, wash-hand basin, Officer Assist, Intercom, and where necessary Nightsan call buttons, bed, chair, work surface, pinboard, kettle, curtains, bedding, TV, storage for clothing and valuables, access to an overhead light with switch inside the room, central heating, windows to allow natural light in and ventilation by means of opening windows or air vents. Prisoners have access to toilets and hand-washing facilities 24 hours a day.

Prison Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable women at HM Prison Cornton Vale.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  SPS aims to provide appropriate care for all vulnerable prisoners, principally through the professionalism of the SPS front-line staff who are trained to identify vulnerable prisoners and help them cope with prison life. The SPS has developed the widely praised ACT suicide prevention system. In Cornton Vale there are day care regimes in Ross remand block with mental health nursing support and occupational therapy, and elsewhere a comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions strategy with associated assessment and referral systems including psychiatric and psychological support is available.

Prison Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is per prisoner, per annum, for detention at HM Prison Cornton Vale.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is not possible to provide a total cost per prisoner, per annum, at individual public prisons as there are a number of significant costs which are met centrally for SPS as a whole.

  The average cost per prisoner place in 2003-04 is given in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. Reference 34075) or via the Scottish Prison Service website http://www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/reports/2003-04.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13882 by Cathy Jamieson on 2 February 2005 on efficiency savings within the Scottish Prison Service, whether the 5% efficiency target has been requested by ministers as part of the Efficient Government programme or whether the target has been determined by the Scottish Prison Service.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No; ministers set the funding levels for the Scottish Prison Service as part of their spending reviews, and the Scottish Prison Service is required to operate within this funding. We have also agreed with our Trade Union partners that a key element of our vision is that "in the necessary pursuit of demonstrating value for money to the taxpayer, public sector costs will be competitive". We decided that these efficiency targets were necessary to achieve these objectives. The targets were not part of the Efficient Government Programme to which SPS will also contribute.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average monthly cost is of keeping a person in prison.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The average cost per prisoner place in 2003-04 is given in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which is available on the Scottish Prison Service website:

  http://www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/reports/2003-04.

Rates

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total reduction in rateable values was as a result of wholly and partly successful appeals by businesses against their assessed rateable value following the last revaluation of rateable values, broken down by local authority area, expressed also as a percentage of the total rateable value in each case.

Mr Tom McCabe: The total rateable value lost to revaluation appeals following the 2000 Revaluation is shown in the table, at both Scotland and local authority level. The losses are also expressed as a percentage of the total rateable value at 1 April 2000.

  

 
Total Rateable Value at 1 April 2000
(£)
Total Rateable Value Lost to Revaluation Appeals
(£)
Rateable Value Lost to Appeal
(%)


Scotland
4,337,487,547
198,676,060
4.6


Aberdeen City
294,690,503
9,358,032
3.2


Aberdeenshire
133,095,670
6,473,283
4.9


Angus
60,345,489
3,851,565
6.4


Argyll and Bute
73,824,644
6,053,851
8.2


Clackmannanshire
32,148,509
2,808,385
8.7


Dumfries and Galloway
82,578,620
2,535,260
3.1


Dundee City
136,149,415
8,773,730
6.4


East Ayrshire
65,532,410
3,676,715
5.6


East Dunbartonshire
47,538,737
2,273,251
4.8


East Lothian
59,428,239
2,198,960
3.7


East Renfrewshire
29,666,715
666,550
2.2


Edinburgh, City of
607,376,722
25,909,590
4.3


Eilean Siar
14,730,246
768,970
5.2


Falkirk
127,477,881
6,563,726
5.1


Fife
274,279,753
17,318,325
6.3


Glasgow City
706,013,103
25,821,473
3.7


Highland
169,657,129
8,350,555
4.9


Inverclyde
54,746,235
2,732,965
5.0


Midlothian
45,575,260
1,944,905
4.3


Moray
57,232,286
2,482,975
4.3


North Ayrshire
96,236,553
3,980,130
4.1


North Lanarkshire
225,605,117
8,237,135
3.7


Orkney Islands
15,983,232
993,830
6.2


Perth and Kinross
109,447,015
6,832,371
6.2


Renfrewshire
144,587,965
6,346,860
4.4


Scottish Borders
56,518,406
2,404,162
4.3


Shetland Islands
32,008,342
2,384,810
7.5


South Ayrshire
82,980,813
4,761,255
5.7


South Lanarkshire
223,864,239
7,488,755
3.3


Stirling
84,702,413
4,063,120
4.8


West Dunbartonshire
64,459,945
3,236,233
5.0


West Lothian
129,005,941
7,384,333
5.7



  Source: Statistical Returns (RV/APP and RV/ASS) to the Scottish Executive.

  There are currently seven subjects still with outstanding 2000 Revaluation appeals, with a total rateable value at 1 April 2000 of £13.3 million.

Residential Care

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential and respite care homes for the elderly there are, broken down by local authority area.

Rhona Brankin: The table shows the number of care homes for older people, by local authority. This information is taken from the September 2004 Scottish Care Home Census, the results of which were published on 1 March 2005.

  

Local Authority
Number of Care Homes


Aberdeen City
38


Aberdeenshire
57


Angus
30


Argyll and Bute
28


Clackmannanshire
6


Dumfries and Galloway
39


Dundee City
25


East Ayrshire
23


East Dunbartonshire
10


East Lothian
19


East Renfrewshire
13


Edinburgh, City of
70


Eilean Siar
9


Falkirk
21


Fife
72


Glasgow City
90


Highland
69


Inverclyde
12


Midlothian
13


Moray
17


North Ayrshire
32


North Lanarkshire
36


Orkney Islands
4


Perth and Kinross
42


Renfrewshire
24


Scottish Borders
27


Shetland Islands
10


South Ayrshire
28


South Lanarkshire
57


Stirling
22


West Dunbartonshire
15


West Lothian
17


Scotland
975

Residential Care

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has made of the weekly expenditure required for nursing or respite care per week per person in residential homes for the elderly.

Rhona Brankin: The Care Development Group calculated the nursing care element for people in a care home to be £65 per week and the personal care element at £145 per week. The total rate per person per week for residential care, including respite, will vary but the nationally agreed rates for publicly funded residents are currently £356 (without nursing care) and £417 (with nursing care).

  Following Spending Review 2004, we will make available an additional £37 million and £57.5 million to the independent care sector in 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively. This exceeds by £3.5 million the findings of the Scottish Local Authorities Management Centre report which was jointly commissioned by local authorities and the care sector. It will increase fee levels from £417 per person per week to £462 in 2007-08 and take additional expenditure on the sector to over £234 million since 2001.

Residential Care

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has given to the building or upgrading of local authority care homes over the last three years and what support it plans to give over the next three years, broken down by local authority.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive does not allocate specific funding to local authorities for the building or upgrading of local authority care homes. This would be a matter for individual local authorities, not all of which operate their own care homes.

  The Scottish Executive continues to give substantial levels of support for capital expenditure by local authorities through interest and redemption charges, known as Loan Charge support. It is up to each local authority to decide the local priorities for applying these resources.

  The new "prudential" regime for local authority capital expenditure now allows councils to determine for themselves the total amounts they will invest in infrastructure, including care homes, over the coming years. Investment decisions by councils from 2004-05 onwards must be made in accordance with the Prudential Code to ensure they are prudent, affordable and sustainable.

Road Accidents

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal and (b) serious road accidents have occurred in each police board area in each of the last five years involving people aged (i) 17 to 24 (ii) 25 to 40 (iii) 40 to 65 (iv) over 65, expressed also as percentages of the total number of accidents.

Nicol Stephen: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the Stats 19 statistical report form. These returns obtain information about the ages of the drivers and riders involved in accidents, and the ages of the people who were injured. They do not collect any information about any other people who were involved but not injured in the accident.

  The following tables give the number of fatal and serious road accidents which involved one or more drivers or riders in each of the age-groups shown in the tables.

  It should be noted that the sums of the figures for the different age-groups are greater than the overall total numbers of accidents which are shown in the tables. This is because an accident may involve several drivers or riders, who may fall into different age-groups. For the purpose of preparing the figures for the different age-groups, each accident has been counted once (and only once) for each of the different age-groups which is represented among the drivers and riders who were involved in that accident. For example, an accident which involved drivers aged 25, 35, 45 and 55 would be counted once against the "25 to 39" age-group and once against the "40 to 65" age-group. However, each accident has been counted only once for the purpose of producing the overall totals ("All fatal accidents" and "All serious accidents") that are shown in the tables.

  Fatal and Serious Accidents, Which Involved Drivers or Riders in each of the Age-Groups Shown in the Table, by Police Force Area: 1999 to 2003

  

(a) (i) Numbers of Fatal Accidents
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Police Force
Age of Driver/Rider 


Northern
17-24
12
7
8
10
6


25-39
15
20
16
12
13


40-65
17
21
13
10
17


Over 65
1
4
4
2
2


All fatal accidents
35
41
31
25
32


Grampian
17-24
15
15
20
18
13


25-39
16
23
18
18
25


40-65
11
19
22
24
22


Over 65
5
5
8
7
6


All fatal accidents
35
45
46
44
44


Tayside
17-24
7
3
8
6
7


25-39
14
11
20
13
12


40-65
21
13
24
12
18


Over 65
8
3
10
5
8


All fatal accidents
34
22
42
23
29


Fife
17-24
4
5
7
10
5


25-39
5
4
9
16
13


40-65
6
7
10
10
9


Over 65
2
1
0
3
2


All fatal accidents
14
11
19
26
17


Lothian and Borders
17-24
8
13
10
3
7


25-39
28
23
19
14
27


40-65
22
25
19
17
28


Over 65
6
4
2
6
5


All fatal accidents
48
49
36
33
44


Central
17-24
3
6
7
8
4


25-39
4
6
7
13
7


40-65
3
6
5
10
10


Over 65
1
4
1
0
1


All fatal accidents
9
18
16
21
17


Strathclyde
17-24
31
13
29
20
31


25-39
56
49
43
54
55


40-65
34
49
50
38
49


Over 65
9
7
7
5
6


All fatal accidents
98
99
106
88
105


Dumfries and Galloway
17-24
3
3
4
7
2


25-39
3
6
9
6
6


40-65
5
8
8
9
5


Over 65
2
4
0
3
2


All fatal accidents
12
12
13
14
10



  

(a) (ii) Percentages of Fatal Accidents
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Police Force
Age of Driver/Rider 


Northern
17-24
34
17
26
40
19


25-39
43
49
52
48
41


40-65
49
51
42
40
53


Over 65
3
10
13
8
6


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Grampian
17-24
43
33
43
41
30


25-39
46
51
39
41
57


40-65
31
42
48
55
50


Over 65
14
11
17
16
14


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Tayside
17-24
21
14
19
26
24


25-39
41
50
48
57
41


40-65
62
59
57
52
62


Over 65
24
14
24
22
28


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Fife
17-24
29
45
37
38
29


25-39
36
36
47
62
76


40-65
43
64
53
38
53


Over 65
14
9
0
12
12


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Lothian and Borders
17-24
17
27
28
9
16


25-39
58
47
53
42
61


40-65
46
51
53
52
64


Over 65
13
8
6
18
11


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Central
17-24
33
33
44
38
24


25-39
44
33
44
62
41


40-65
33
33
31
48
59


Over 65
11
22
6
0
6


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Strathclyde
17-24
32
13
27
23
30


25-39
57
49
41
61
52


40-65
35
49
47
43
47


Over 65
9
7
7
6
6


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Dumfries and Galloway
17-24
25
25
31
50
20


25-39
25
50
69
43
60


40-65
42
67
62
64
50


Over 65
17
33
0
21
20


All fatal accidents
100
100
100
100
100



  

(b) (i) Numbers Of Serious Accidents
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Police Force
Age of Driver/Rider 


Northern
17-24
69
69
62
45
59


25-39
120
112
116
82
74


40-65
111
89
123
93
94


Over 65
20
23
23
20
19


All serious accidents
245
212
257
176
186


Grampian
17-24
76
79
74
65
70


25-39
124
122
117
111
110


40-65
103
120
106
101
100


Over 65
19
23
23
24
23


All serious accidents
236
248
225
210
221


Tayside
17-24
102
77
75
66
67


25-39
148
120
142
127
110


40-65
132
140
140
119
117


Over 65
29
31
33
25
29


All serious accidents
314
291
298
255
241


Fife
17-24
54
55
50
79
53


25-39
73
108
96
80
80


40-65
57
89
78
98
66


Over 65
15
15
16
21
21


All serious accidents
160
196
178
187
147


Lothian and Borders
17-24
109
126
113
96
68


25-39
215
234
212
209
158


40-65
180
212
221
200
152


Over 65
34
43
32
41
31


All serious accidents
430
483
449
425
335


Central
17-24
59
48
51
48
57


25-39
104
90
90
105
76


40-65
86
76
81
93
100


Over 65
25
13
18
21
11


All serious accidents
198
170
178
193
183


Strathclyde
17-24
417
315
302
278
261


25-39
763
640
591
561
518


40-65
631
561
502
524
532


Over 65
100
94
82
92
94


All serious accidents
1,521
1,289
1,160
1,149
1,086


Dumfries and Galloway
17-24
36
37
24
18
21


25-39
49
53
47
32
29


40-65
49
52
41
44
53


Over 65
13
12
10
10
6


All serious accidents
105
117
95
80
90



  

(b) (ii) Percentages of Serious Accidents
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Police Force
Age of Driver/Rider 


Northern
17-24
28
33
24
26
32


25-39
49
53
45
47
40


40-65
45
42
48
53
51


Over 65
8
11
9
11
10


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Grampian
17-24
32
32
33
31
32


25-39
53
49
52
53
50


40-65
44
48
47
48
45


Over 65
8
9
10
11
10


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Tayside
17-24
32
26
25
26
28


25-39
47
41
48
50
46


40-65
42
48
47
47
49


Over 65
9
11
11
10
12


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Fife
17-24
34
28
28
42
36


25-39
46
55
54
43
54


40-65
36
45
44
52
45


Over 65
9
8
9
11
14


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Lothian and Borders
17-24
25
26
25
23
20


25-39
50
48
47
49
47


40-65
42
44
49
47
45


Over 65
8
9
7
10
9


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Central
17-24
30
28
29
25
31


25-39
53
53
51
54
42


40-65
43
45
46
48
55


Over 65
13
8
10
11
6


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Strathclyde
17-24
27
24
26
24
24


25-39
50
50
51
49
48


40-65
41
44
43
46
49


Over 65
7
7
7
8
9


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100


Dumfries and Galloway
17-24
34
32
25
23
23


25-39
47
45
49
40
32


40-65
47
44
43
55
59


Over 65
12
10
11
13
7


All serious accidents
100
100
100
100
100

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it will provide in respect of the completion of the Inverness southern distributor road.

Nicol Stephen: The Inverness southern distributor road is a local road and therefore the responsibility of the Highland Council.

Roads

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the roundabout at the junction of the A702 and A73 to be operational.

Nicol Stephen: It is expected that the A702/A73 Maidencots Roundabout will be operational by the end of April 2005.

Scottish Health Council

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new Scottish Health Council will be appointed.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Health Council Chair, Mr Brian Beacom, was appointed in October 2004 and six board members were appointed in December 2004.

Scottish Health Council

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new Scottish Health Council will commence delivery of its remit.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Health Council has been appointed, and will formally commence delivery of its remit on 1 April 2005.

Sexual Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any correlation between the incidence of unwanted pregnancies in young people and where and how they received sex education.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any correlation between the incidence of sexually-transmitted diseases and where and how sex education was delivered.

Mr Andy Kerr: Relevant data are not available to establish whether or not any such correlation exists.

  I understand it would theoretically be possible to relate teenage pregnancies to the school which the mothers had attended, but that there are significant legal and ethical problems with this, and technically it would be very difficult to analyse and interpret the results because there are so many known and unknown influences on sexual behaviour.

  This is, however, something which the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee could consider when it provides advice on a sexual health research programme for Scotland.

Speed Cameras

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue has been generated through speed cameras in the last three years, broken down by police force.

Cathy Jamieson: The information available, relating to paid fixed penalties collected by safety camera partnerships that have joined the Scottish Safety Camera Programme since it was first piloted in 2001-02, is shown in the following table. However, information is not held centrally on any fines that may have been levied in respect of any cameras not operated by partnerships.

  

Partnership
2001-02
£000
2002-03
£000
2003-04
£000


Strathclyde
861
1,670
3,454


Fife
-
422
619


North East
-
278,
1,013


Lothian and Borders
-
-
1,617


Tayside
-
-
388


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
545 



  Notes:

  1. Figures given are for partnerships from the date they joined the Safety Camera Programme. The figure for the Dumfries and Galloway Partnership in 2003-04 has still to be finally audited. Northern joined the Programme in July 2004. Central Scotland is not currently part of the Programme. The partnerships in the table expanded or joined the Programme as indicated below.

  2. In 2001-02, Strathclyde included only Glasgow City Council area.

  3. In 2002-2003, Strathclyde expanded to cover four local authority areas; Fife joined the Programme in April 2002 and the North East Partnership joined in October 2002.

  4. In 2003-2004, Strathclyde expanded to 12 local authority areas; Dumfries and Galloway joined the Programme in July 2003, Lothian and Borders in July 2003 and Tayside in July 2003.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish graduates have been advised that they face court proceedings to recover outstanding student loans in each year since the system was introduced.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information on Scottish graduates who have been advised that they face court proceedings to recover outstanding student loans is not held centrally.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loan debts have been written off and what the total cash value was of the deleted debt in each year since the system was introduced.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Student Loans Company estimates that the total number of student loan debts, held by Scottish account holders, that have been written off since the student loans scheme began is approximately £1.5 million relating to approximately 770 loans. It is not possible to provide an annual breakdown of this figure.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loan borrowers have been declared bankrupt in each year since student loans were introduced.

The Executive has provided a corrected answer which is published in the Written Answer Report on 25 October 2005: see http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/pqa/wa-05/wa1025.htm

Mr Jim Wallace: The number of Scottish student loan borrowers who have been declared bankrupt to 2003 is given in the answer to question S2W-6052 answered on 2 March 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa .

  The number declaring bankruptcy in 2004 is 1,541.

  There is no statutory requirement for bankrupt students to notify the Student Loans Company of their status, so the figures given will not include all bankruptcies.

Transport

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to improving the internal transport infrastructure when allocating funding through the Route Development Fund to attract more foreign visitors to Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: The Route Development Fund is targeted at sharing the risks, over a limited period, associated with the start up of new direct air routes. There are no plans to extend the fund to support wider infrastructure improvements.

Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards implementation of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004.

Hugh Henry: I am pleased to say that we are on track to implement the provisions of the act in relation to child witnesses in High Court and Sheriff Court Solemn cases and Children’s Hearings court procedures from 1 April 2005 with one exception.

  The special measures of screens, giving evidence by live CCTV link, the use of a supporter and the use of a prior statement as evidence in chief (in criminal cases only) will come into effect for witnesses aged under 16 in respect of all cases reported to the procurator fiscal on or after 1 April 2005 which result in prosecution on indictment in the High Court or sheriff court, and in respect of relevant applications and appeals made on or after 1 April involving witnesses under 16 involved in Children’s Hearing Court procedures.

  There is one exception to the 1 April start. The introduction of the special measure of taking evidence on commission will be delayed until the end of October. The extra time will be used to ensure that this procedure is robust and will assist the child witnesses in giving their best evidence. I want to be confident that the right guidance is in place, that appropriate technology has been identified to ensure that the accused can witness the proceedings without being present, and that suitable accommodation for the taking of evidence is identified.